This remedy is made by macerating the crushed parts of curly dock with vodka or a neutral alcohol. You could even pickle it! Pale smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia) is sometimes called dock-leaved smartweed for its leaf shape, too. As long as you're not severely mineral deficient, and as long as you're not consuming unreasonably massive amounts of foods containing oxalic acid, you'll be fine! The curly dock has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Here is a link to an article that lists the medicinal uses for dock https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-651/yellow-dock#:~:text=Yellow%20dock%20is%20used%20for,fungal%20infections%2C%20and%20for%20arthritis. Simply processed syrups and tincture, as well as curly dock supplements can be found in specialized health stores and online retailers. Mac Coitir, N. & Langrishe, G. (2015)Irelands wild plants: myths, legends and folklore. The flavor is often described as lemony. The lance shaped leaves grow in a basal rosette and have ruffled, or curly edges, often with a reddish tinge. If using dried root, you will need less: only about of the original amount, or about 3 tablespoons in this instance. The standard dosage is one cup 3 times a day, though this varies depending on the person and the condition. An altered form of Vitamin A helps to slow down the growth of Stargardts disease which causes vision loss in young peoples. I also fry in butter with chopped onions, and mix it into a white sauce. The most common and widespread species that is most similar is bitter dock (also called broad-leaved dock or red-veined dock, Rumex obtusifolius), which has much wider, less wavy leaf blades. The leaves have a tan or reddish-brown, membrane-like sheath that encircles the stem (this sheath, called an ocrea, is distinctive of the smartweed, knotweed, or buckwheat family). For more information about health conditions that may be exacerbated by oxalic acid, please check this page by Plants for a Future. The dried roots are available year round in most herbal shops and specialty grocery stores. Curly dock has dark green, hairless Keep an eye out for this ordinary plant, and soon you will be able to pick it out of the landscape! You are responsible for your own health and well being! Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. (See below for close-up pictures of the seeds.) This dock has large, broad heart-shaped leaves, unlike the long, narrow leaves of curly dock. Oxalic acid, synthesized in a chemical process, is used as a bleaching agent, as in tooth-whitening powders, wood bleach, and in products such as Bar Keepers Friend. Iron from the supplements or food sources are used to form red blood cells. DISCLAIMER: Information provided for educational purposes only. Tagged: medicinal properties of yellow dock, medicinal benefits of yellow dock, uses of yellow dock, yellow dock uses . Since your livestock cant eat ityou may as well make good use of it. Description Curly dock is a perennial plant with a thickened taproot that begins as a basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves with wavy margins and distinct leaf stems. (2010)Ancestral plants: a primitive skills guide to important edible, medicinal, and useful plants, volume 1. As far as I know, there are no poisonous species of dock, though some are considered inedible due to unpalatability. Curly dock (Rumex crispus L.) is a weed of low-maintenance orchards, nursery crops, landscapes, roadsides, pastures and forage crops. Diuretic: increases the secretion and expulsion of urine. A very simple way of thinking about the green world is to divide the vascular plants into two groups: woody and nonwoody (or herbaceous). Also, older leaves are high in tannins, which make them taste bitter. Furthermore, it stimulates the flow of bile, which aids digestion. If you have kidney problems, you should probably avoid eating it. The leaves, stem, and seeds of broad-leaved dock can be eaten like those of curly dock, but the root does not have the same medicinal qualities. I have read differing opinions on this. I havent tried eating the seeds of curly dock yet. Chop into hummus or sour cream dip for a lemony flavor. I HAVE A DOCK PLANT IN A POT I TAUGHT IT WAS CALLED RED VEINED DOCK BECAUSE VEINS IN THE LEAVES ARE RED HAS IT ANY MEDICINAL USES. Then grind them in a grain grinder, coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or blender to make flour. Thank you, Kathi! How to Harvest, Prepare, and Use Yellow Dock Root Medicinally by Survival Sherpa, https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/bloody-dock-rumex-sanguineus/, https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-651/yellow-dock#:~:text=Yellow%20dock%20is%20used%20for,fungal%20infections%2C%20and%20for%20arthritis. . Neurotransmitters depend on adequate amount of iron in the blood to maintain the positive mood. They suggest chopping the plant a couple inches below ground, or any cultivation practice that will chop and bury the plants taproot. Here's more about the benefits of yellow dock and how to use it. Yellow dock should be avoided or used with caution when a history of kidney stones is present. And I had some of the curly dock greens mixed with stinging nettle with dinner. Reducing inflammation. It has not been evaluated by the FDA. The skin health could be maintained with proper diet rich in antioxidants which also help to prevent the skin cancer. All rights reserved. grow in the United States and Canada. It grows wild in poorly maintained soils, like wastelands and roadsides, and it is even seen occasionally springing up spontaneously in arid zones. Among its nutritional components, John Kallas (2010) explains, "Curly dock leaves are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and zinc" and the seeds are "rich in calcium and fiber while low in protein and fat." As long as it is collected from a location free of herbicides, excessive car exhaust, or other pollutants, it is free, organic green fare. Rodents reportedly eat the fruits, as do a variety of birds. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "theselfsuffic-20"; The human body converts carotene into vitamin A, this actually increases night vision. It also contains vitamins B1 and B2, and iron. They can also trigger hay fever or aggravate asthma in some people. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Learn how your comment data is processed. The seeds have been ground into a flour and eaten, similar to buckwheat. Seeds are triangular, glossy, and reddish brown at maturity. Besides curly dock, broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) is the main species thats eaten. The milk in the dock leaf contains tannins as well as oxalic acid which are considered as an astringent. So spring and fall are the best times to harvest roots, because thats when the plant is putting energy (i.e. Traditionally for maintaining healthy liver function*. Cornell University2023University PrivacyWeb Accessibility Assistance, Fall Weed Seeds and Equipment Clean-Out Article, Late postemergence herbicide options for soybeans, New Penn State resource for spring weed control in grass hay and pastures, Lesser celandine: Spring garden and lawn invader, Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines. A single plant can produce 40,000 seeds. . You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. It is reputed to taste similar to buckwheat, another related plant. The greens are known to have approximately 4 times more vitamin A than carrots. Burdock root benefits. Serve the greens with butter, bacon, hard-boiled eggs and seasoning. I just dont eat a big plateful to avoid overdoing it. . The leaves are alternate, lanceolate to ovate and are 30 inches long. Many of these are generalists that eat many kinds of plants, but several specialize in eating curly dock and its close relatives. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The fruit has the size of 2.53.5 mm (0.10.14 inch); reddish-brown and 3-angled achene. This page contains affiliate links. Grieve, M. M. (1998)A modern herbal. They have tart, lemon-tasting leaves and are used similarly in cooking. Cooked up as greens in a pot of boiling water, curly dock leaves remind me very much of the flavor of marsh marigold, which my family called cow slips. Ive read several comments that curly dock roots may be eaten as a substitute for potatoes, but Im pretty sure that they dont taste the same. Two of the most commonly known varieties is Curly Dock and the Broad-leaved Dock. Used as a wild edible green. If you live in a warmer climate you can probably dig curly dock roots throughout winter. Gather a few of these tender leaves and rub them vigorously in the palm of your hand. Even as a picky kid I learned to enjoy the flavor. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Native Americans reportedly used the seeds in flour and meal; they cooked a mush from the seeds, but only in times of need. They are three-sided, oval to egg-shaped, with a sharp point on one end. amzn_assoc_title = ""; It has a fairly pleasant taste, and the leaves are very rich in vitamin A and C, protein and iron, and can be eaten raw or cooked. To make a syrup: Bring 1 liter of water, 300grams of yellow dock and a stick of vanilla to the boil, boil rapidly until the liquid boils down to around a cupful. Curly dock emerges early in the spring from shallowly flooded wetlands. The serving size of 133 grams provides about 29 calories. Another foraging goal of mine is to harvest some and at least give them a try. The leaves can also be stuffed like vine leaves with a rice, herb and cheese filling. Thank you for this article, Lisa! Im Lisa Lynn and this is The Self Sufficient HomeAcre. It treats rashes as well as eczema and other skin conditions. Yellow Dock has many traditional uses, including: Treating diarrhoea; Reducing inflammation due to arthritis or gout; Variations of the yellow dock. Curly dock plant. Native to Europe, it has been introduced to all fifty states in the US and all Canadian provinces except Nunavut. It has a slender, erect stem that grows to about 3 feet (90 cm) in height. But this is an artificial division; many plant families include some species that are woody and some that are not. Curly dock is a widespread, well-known introduced plant, often viewed as a weed. The plant is also helpful for anemia due to its iron content as well as its ability to promote better absorption of iron. The creases along this dock leaf is a sign that it unfurled recently and is therefore likely tender and delicious. This plant has a bitter taste, making it an excellent herb for treating a variety of ailments. Broad-leaved Dock and Curled Dock has been used in food and medicine for centuries. By late spring or early summer, dock produces tall flower stalks that bear copious amounts of seed, which are also edible. One source lists it as safe but I would do a lot of research before eating if pregnant. Identification and control options for weeds common to turf, agriculture, and gardens in New York; uses a very simple decision tree to identify your weed. The stem leaves of curly dock are lance-shaped with wavy margins. Curly dock is an herbaceous perennial with yellow, spindle-shaped taproots. A tea made of the whole Curly or Yellow Dock plant or just the root has been used in traditional herbal medicine as a tonic for it's nutritional content. I am planning to try making a tincture from the root, as described in the Survival Sherpa article I linked to. Foraging Dock Seeds ~ Wild Foraged Flour. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that has tough, reddish and unbranched stem, reaching a height of 1-3 ft. (See previous blog post, link .) When low levels of oxygen are present in the body, brain cannot synthesize properly. Ill try eating it. amzn_assoc_linkid = "99b62e1ba75146c35f30dfd8cb6231e1"; Do you know why it is not advised for pregnant women? Flowers grow in branching clusters at the top of the plant, in groups of 10 to 25. Traditionally, curly dock roots were used as a remedy against intestinal parasites, and various parts of the plant were also prescribed to treat rheumatism, jaundice, and scurvy. Mature curled dock seedheads (early summer) have a distinct "rust" color. I wonder if you have bloody dock. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Senna and tamarind also possess laxative properties, whereas aloe and nettle can be used as alternative sources for anti-inflammatory benefits as well. amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; Please note that you have the option to accept or reject cookies by clicking on the Privacy Policy tab along the bottom of the page. The seeds grow in massive quantities on the stem and are quite easy to collect. The plant, which is found all across the United States, has considerable invasive potential due to the humongous number of seeds it produces and the length of time they remain viable in the soil (decades!). The mood depends upon the hormones balance such as serotonin, dopamine and others. The leaves are cooked as a potherb, added to salads. It promotes digestion by stimulating release of stomach acid as well as digestive enzymes. The easiest time of year to notice it is in summer, fall, and often in the winter, when you can easily observe the multitudinous seeds. From http://www.ediblewildfood.com/yellow-dock-crackers.aspx. See A Growers Guide to Organic Apples from Cornell for non-chemical weed control options in apple orchards. Curly dock is used extensively in the treatment of chronic skin complaints such as psoriasis. Lisa Lombardo is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Backyard Homesteading and Organic Gardening for Beginners, and she writes about gardening and homesteading for this website and The New Homesteader's Almanac. Curly dock has oxalic acid in it and should be eaten in moderation. The self-reliance challenge sounds fun! Another way to use yellow dock is in the form of a syrup. Uprooting plants, chopping and then burying the taproots will control curly dock. It serves 2.66 grams of protein, 0.93 grams of fat and 3.9 grams of dietary fiber. 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Ground, or curly edges, often with a sharp point on one end broad heart-shaped leaves, unlike long... On the person and the broad-leaved dock and its close relatives goal of mine is to roots... That eat many kinds of plants, but several specialize in eating curly dock a... Amzn_Assoc_Tracking_Id = `` 99b62e1ba75146c35f30dfd8cb6231e1 '' ; < br / > do you know why it is not for. And rub them vigorously in the body `` 99b62e1ba75146c35f30dfd8cb6231e1 '' ; < br / > do know. And delicious herb for treating a variety of birds by macerating the crushed parts of curly dock has anti-inflammatory that. Potherb, added to salads then burying the taproots will control curly dock, as well as oxalic,! And B2, and website in this browser for the next time I comment and Curled dock has large broad. Balance such as serotonin, dopamine and others fall are the best times harvest!